Sleepless
by TheStardustApocalypse
Summary: Daryl finds that he can't sleep without Carol. Cute fluff pic set after the events of 4x04, so obvious spoilers! Please tell me if you liked, written purely to heal my own broken heart after the splitting of my favourite TWD pair :(


**My very first walking dead fanfiction! I have been watching the show for a long time and have been shipping Caryl forever because I love them together! Obviously I was gutted when she was kicked out of the prison by Rick (stupid Rick -.-) so I wanted to do a little fluff piece about Daryl and Carol reuniting :') Hope you enjoy it! Obvious spoilers for 4x04!**

Sleepless

He couldn't sleep.

He pinned it on the stress he'd endured today; it was nothing to do with the fact he hadn't been able to sleep for two weeks.

Maybe his current insomnia had stemmed from the fact that the unanswered question he'd treasured close to him had finally been given a definitive answer- and not the one he was looking for.

He couldn't even think about it.

Daryl Dixon's eyes were bloodshot and there were obvious signs of where the veins had popped due to lack of sleep. His own weakness was making him a danger to the group and they'd finally intervened today. They'd isolated him and demanded that he get some sleep.

If only it was that simple.

He'd been in a tiny cell, equipped with more cushions and blankets than all of C block combined, for nearly two hours now and sleep just wasn't happening.

His skin was boiling. But he was freezing. He'd been cold for two weeks now.

Those higher up in the prison hierarchy had fretted that Daryl too was ill with the mystery flu that was claiming the lives of their group. But Hershel had given the true diagnosis, and maybe it was worse than the flu.

Daryl was broken hearted.

Hershel was wrong of course, aside from the face that he was perfectly accurate. Daryl couldn't admit it, but he refused to even say her name for fear of breaking down. It had been two weeks since Rick had exiled her.

Two weeks of stony stares from Daryl in Rick's direction as he couldn't look him in the eyes, two weeks of grunts as responses to any questions posed by Rick, and two weeks without Carol.

Carol.

The minute he thought her name the gut wrenching pain filled his stomach and he had to stop himself from screaming out. Every inch of him felt it the raw pain exploding from his heart and sleep fled his mind like a scared little girl.

He wondered if she'd been scared.

He wondered if she'd cried.

He wondered if she'd wanted to see him before she went.

The last one made it even harder for Daryl not to cry.

Crying was for wimps and sissies, and Daryl Dixon didn't ever cry. But lately the urge to burst into fat round tears was becoming harder and harder to drop kick in the throat, and he had the sneaking suspicion that crying would win eventually.

He rolled over in bed, and lay on his back, staring at the grey ceiling. He wondered about Merle, only for a brief second. Merle had done time in jail, on numerous occasions, and he wondered if this was what it felt like, to be trapped somewhere and to have no say in the matter.

He wanted to be out on scavenging raids and hunts. He needed to fly otherwise his wings were going to fold back into him and he wasn't sure if they would ever come out again now she had gone.

When Rick had told him what he'd done to Carol the first thing Daryl had done was power up his bike. He'd prowled the whole of the neighbourhood where she had last been and nearly fifty miles around looking for any signs of her. There were none.

He'd come back without her just as the blushing sun dipped its head shamefully out of the sky.

But the following day he'd tried again. And the day after that he'd tried again. He'd spent nearly all of that first week looking for her, but to no avail. He, with the help of Hershel, Glenn and Maggie, thank God, had organised search parties for her but every time they'd come back without her and his heart would sink a little further.

Rick refused to help. Daryl didn't care. He didn't want the help of Rick. What Rick had done was worse than anything Carol could ever do.

Tyreese was also refusing to help and was braying for the blood of Carol. Daryl had ignored him, with the strict warning that if- when they found her, she would be brought back to the prison and if Tyreese dared so much at look at her funny Daryl would shoot a bolt through his cranium before he even had time to say 'Carol'.

But after the first week, people had become sceptical. It seemed doubtful she would return. After all she had been alone a week and in this dangerous world you only needed a couple of minutes to succumb to destruction.

But he wouldn't give up until she was safe and back with him.

It was time to face the truth.

He couldn't sleep without her in his arms.

It had only started a few months ago, one chilly night and a shortage of blankets, and Daryl had quickly become addicted to the comfort she offered. He needed her; he needed to feel her heat against his bones and the gentle melody of her beating heart.

No one else had known about what they did on a night. It was never anything sexual; they'd never even so much as kissed. And now they never would and he cursed himself for all the perfect opportunities he passed up because he convinced himself that there would be more time.

Now it seemed the clocks had stopped and were refusing to offer him any more precious seconds.

He couldn't bear to think she was dead. He had to cling to the hope that she was surviving.

The whole cell block was silent, and as much as he usually lapped up the quiet he'd have given anything to hear her breathing beside him instead.

He just needed to sleep long enough so that he could get back on his bike and roam the world for her again. He couldn't stop, how could he?

He had to change the answer to his great unanswered question: Were they or weren't they together? She had gone, and they never were, and now they never would be. But he swore to God he'd find her and he'd make her his whether she liked it or not. She already was his; it had always been her for him.

Daryl flipped roughly onto his side, and forced his eyes shut. He only needed a couple of hours, enough to rejuvenate him so he could keep looking for her. His foot twitched impatiently and he tried to keep it still but his brain was still so awake.

He kept his eyes closed though. But the tiny bed felt too big for just him. He reached to the side for a cushion, and he tried to curl into it the way he used to curl around Carol but it wasn't the same.

He couldn't hear the little noise she made when she smiled because he'd squeezed her body in a bear hug in his sleep.

All he could hear was the silence.

That was until the silence was interrupted.

Across the concrete floor he could hear the scraping and shuffling of feet. Was there a walker in his block?

Immediately he leapt to his feet and grabbed his crossbow from the floor, where he'd propped it up against the wall. Cautiously he made his way out of his cell and listened intently for any tell tale moans or groans.

He heard none.

Instead he heard the muffled footstep across the ground and he realised it wasn't a walker; it was Hershel on his crutches. His suspicion was confirmed when he heard the old man shouting his name hurriedly.

"Daryl, where are you, Daryl?" Hershel called out, manoeuvring himself quickly towards Daryl's general direction.

Daryl poked his head out of his cell and instantly locked eyes with Hershel who had a look of bewilderment on his face.

"Daryl, she's back" He said simply, and he didn't have chance to say anymore as Daryl had already taken off in the direction that Hershel had come from. The old man spun around at once and begun to hobble after the cross bow carrier and shouted at him to wait up for him.

Daryl burst through the main doors, and his eyes darted around frantically trying to locate the one face he was so desperately seeking.

And then he saw her.

His heart stopped dead in his chest.

She looked well.

She had lost a little bit of weight, and some of her clothing was torn, but other than that she looked perfectly fine. Beside her were two people he didn't know, a blonde man and a red haired woman. He had to grin to himself; his girl was picking up survivors.

Hershel had already filled her in. A couple of the Woodbury guys had gone out on a run and seen her around town. After spending almost an hour persuading her to come back, she had finally agreed to under the condition that her companions be given permanent care at the prison.

Tyreese was nowhere in sight and for the moment Daryl was glad. He saw the relief in the faces of Glenn, Maggie, Beth, Hershel and all the others, and especially in Rick's. Daryl noticed how Rick's eyes kept darting to the man stood beside Carol. The red haired girl, barely just a teenager, was keeping to herself, but he was grinning and looking around like this prison was the Promised Land. His arm was in a sling and he was smiling at Rick like he knew him. Daryl noticed how Rick was avoiding the man's eyes. Daryl didn't want to know and he didn't care; all he wanted was her.

She hadn't seen him yet. "Carol" He spoke her name, and she looked up at him. Her face broke out into the little smile that used to frequent her face whenever he was around; it was a smile reserved for him. He took a few steps towards her gently and he heard the room fall into silence.

He wanted to wrap her up in his arms, but he felt the scrutinising gaze of everyone else burning into him. "Come on" Daryl muttered gruffly, and he walked towards her to wrap an arm around her bony shoulders. No doubt she would want to freshen up; two weeks without running water must have been horrific. He led her from the room and took her towards the showers.

They didn't speak, even when he handed her a towel she remained silent. He waited outside the door for her while she showered, sitting on the floor with his elbows resting on his propped up knees. His trusty crossbow was beside him and he found himself leaning his head back against the shower door, just listening to the noise of the shower running and the blissful sound of her footsteps on the ground.

She needed time to think about being back and the isolation of the shower was the perfect way to do that. He needed time too, just to consider where they might possibly go from here.

After a few minutes Carol re-emerged, looking fresher and better already.

"I don't want to go back in there, not today" She murmured quietly, and Daryl nodded. She looked scared, and when she looked at him with those big eyes of hers he found himself even more drawn to her.

In a bold move he took her small hand in his. She seemed shocked by his action and was only reassured of the gesture when he gave her hand a firm squeeze. Carol seemed to relax then, and allowed Daryl to lead her through the prison.

He knew where he was going.

He headed straight in the direction of the cell reserved for him to sleep and now she was here maybe he finally could. Daryl knew Hershel would make everyone else leave them be, albeit just for tonight. All the questions of where she had been, how she was, what she had been doing; they could wait. There was only one question Daryl wanted to pose to Carol and he hoped she was ready to hear it.

Daryl stopped walking when they reached the cell, and he gestured inside to Carol "You should get some sleep" He told her, and she nodded.

Cautiously she walked inside and lay down stiffly on the bed. She lay on her back and made no attempt to get comfortable. Her eyes wouldn't close, they stayed unnaturally open, wide and alert.

All in all she looked very uncomfortable.

Daryl stood at the cell door and just watched her silently. And then he knew what he wanted to do.

He set his cross bow down beside the bed again and moved to climb over her. He had to sleep with his back against the wall, because that was their routine, and to get to the wall he would have to climb over her. Carol watched him intently and she saw as he straddled her in an attempt to climb over her.

He paused to stare at her face and before he could even think she'd reached out to grab his face and pulled his lips to come crashing down on hers.

Daryl's hand shot out to cup her face and pull her closer and their first kiss made him dizzy. When she pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers, and listened to the sound of her breathing.

"I missed you like hell woman" He breathed, and she smiled, before pushing him onto the side. He landed with his back against the bed, sitting up slightly, and she climbed on top of him, and pressed her lips against his again.

He grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him, releasing a low growl when he felt her bite his bottom lip. "I missed you too Daryl" She told him, and it made him grip her even tighter. Even the thought she wasn't there made his heart pound and echo throughout his chest.

"You're mine, Carol" He told her, and pressed his lips insistently against hers. He slid his tongue into her mouth, and felt her moan into him, which drove him wild "I love you" He growled to her, and she pulled away.

He watched her chest heaving, the shocked expression obvious on her pretty features. She watched him cautiously, like she wanted to believe him but couldn't. "I mean it Carol, I love you. These past few weeks, they've been torture. Honest to God I never want to lose you again Carol" He told her, and he watched as her cheeks blushed.

She leant down to press her lips against his "I love you Daryl" She whispered back, and kissed him again. His hands skidded up her thighs, and he felt her shiver deliciously under his touch.

They could wait; there could be plenty of time.

They could wait, and he could lose her again, and maybe next time he wouldn't be lucky enough to get her back.

He pulled away and the look in his eyes asked the question. She gave a small nod and then a wide smile, and leant down to kiss him again.

Then they were both lost. He couldn't remember his own name and all the pain he'd felt over the past two weeks just disappeared. He couldn't remember her being gone and he wouldn't ever have to again because now she was home and doing incredible things to him. Why hadn't they been doing this all along? He could have been kissing her perfect lips for years now. But they'd finally given in and Daryl had his question answered, twice.

She was definitely his and starting now they were definitely together.

He rolled off of her and felt his back hit the wall when he did. The bed was too small for both of them but he wouldn't have it any other way.

He felt her body curl into a ball, and he looped a lazy arm around her waist. He placed a kiss on her bare back and his heart swelled in joy and relief when she smiled and made the little noise he loved so much.

"Don't ever leave me again Carol" He whispered "I love you so much woman and you better stick around"

"I'm not going anywhere ever again" She found his hand and gave it a squeeze. He pressed his lips against her back again to press a chaste kiss to her soft skin.

It didn't matter what happened tomorrow. He would always have her and he would always have tonight. The consequences of her actions were to be decided tomorrow and he would fight like hell to keep her here with him, no matter what.

He listened to the quiet sounds of her breathing and he realised she was asleep. His own eyelids felt heavy and, curling into her, Daryl Dixon finally lost himself to sleep.


End file.
